A Healthy Balance

I've always had a thirst for action. Adventure. Doing things. My parents used to tell me, "Maria, not every day can be exciting. Some days are just boring. Normal." I think my biggest life lesson has been to sink into the moment, switching my lens from seeking the novel to appreciating the usual. My cousin's little children splashing around in the pool. Patrick's arm heavy across my chest. Spending an hour in the shade of the dog park with new friends. None of this is extraordinary, but I'm gaining a new appreciation of it.  I actually want to relax at home rather than seeking out the latest restaurant. I'm learning how saying no to some opportunities can make room for more balance and calm. As I drive familiar roads through my childhood town, I savor my roots rather than twisting away from them. What I have right now is good. It's more than enough.  Dog Park Cuties "You can't have my cotton candy!"

My mom wasn't a hippie but she sure does love recycling.  A first grade teacher at The Nokesville School, she's merged environmental stewardship with charitable giving, teaching her students several healthy habits in unison.  Working through the company TerraCycle , Mrs. Cheshire collects empty toothpaste, deodorant, floss, and mouthwash containers, as well as old toothbrushes for her recycling project. The program is officially sponsored by Toms of Maine, but any brand of the products are accepted.  In exchange for the donated items, participants receive 2 cents per item. Mrs. Cheshire donates the money to Heifer International, an organization that gives animals to people in impoverished areas, providing them with the training and tools needed to take care of their animals. The idea is to give a gift that keeps on giving. You can learn more  here.  So far, Mrs. Cheshire and her recycling crew have donated over $200 to Heifer International. ...

I don't want to write about Charlottesville. I want to ignore the whole situation, bury my head in the sand, and browse through lipstick on Sephora. And to some extent, I could. I have the luxury as a white person of ignoring race issues because I'm largely unaffected by them. I can mourn the injustice of our prison system, the innocent death of a teenager, or a subtle act of discrimination, and then move on with my life. But I can't any longer . The itch is too strong to speak up. We need to have the tough conversations with each other, because that's the only way real change is going to happen. Upset about Civil War monuments being taken down? Ask yourself what part of it is really upsetting you: your passion for Southern history or the feeling of a rug slowly being slipped from under you? We have to be able to adapt to change, even if it means feeling more humble or taking someone else's feelings into greater consideration than our own. I had a conversation wit...

I was first exposed to podcasts on my tour of the west coast a few summers ago. My tour leader played This American Life and everyone in the van fell asleep. I wasn't impressed at the time, but explored the podcast feature on my phone later when I got home.  Listening to podcasts became a mentally stimulating alternative to listening to music in the car or on solo hikes in the woods. I've learned to appreciate This American Life , and have dabbled in Freakonomics ,  Surprisingly Awesome (now called Every Little Thing ), Invisibilia , and  Women of the Hour (with Lena Dunham).  Patrick travels quite a bit for work, and he listens to podcasts often while on the road. We recommend specific podcast episodes to each other when one really strikes us. On my recent trip back from Ocean City, MD, I reached out to him and asked for a recommendation. He recommended an episode from  How I Built This , by NPR. One episode led to two, led to three and guys, I'm ho...

In honor of Kelsey and Danny's recent wedding, I've compiled a list of very serious bridesmaid tips: 1. Don't bother painting your nails the night before the wedding because you will have plenty of time on wedding day to do it. 2. While we're on the topic of nail polish, try out Essie gel polish because you can find it at CVS and keep using it even after the wedding's over! Two coats of gel + one layer of top coat and you're good to go! 3. Borrow your boyfriend's fancy bluetooth speaker so the bride tribe can jam out all day while getting ready. Ask him if you can use it when he's half asleep so he will definitely say yes. 4. Roll your ankle a few days before the wedding to increase the challenge of heel walking. This bridesmaid stuff isn't supposed to be easy! 5. Buy a fancy eye shadow palette at Sephora and practice your glam look all week leading up to the wedding. You'll get oodles of tips and compliments and save money on profe...